School Transformation

The Office of Transformation at RIDE seeks to infuse our schools and districts with a productive urgency and a commitment to bold school reform.

"With our new system of accountability, support and intervention, we are using multiple criteria to measure school performance, and we will work with low-achieving schools to focus on their specific problems and to develop and implement plans for school improvement." - Commissioner Deborah A. Gist.

School Classification

The Office of Transformation provides targeted intervention, monitoring and support to schools that are classified in lowest performing categories of Warning, Focus or Priority.

Intervention, Monitoring, and Support

Priority Schools

On identification as a Priority School, the school and RIDE begin a three- to five-year intervention process:

Diagnosis and planning

The school will undergo a diagnostic screening and develop a plan for improvement that includes a comprehensive package of interventions, including at least nine strategies that respond to the diagnosis findings and are subject to the Commissioner’s approval; the district may also opt to close the school or to reopen the school under new education management.

Implementation and monitoring

The district and school will put the improvement plan into action. District leadership will oversee this process, through quarterly performance reviews with RIDE.

Focus SchoolsOn identification as a Focus School, the school, the district, and RIDE begin a two- to three-year intervention process similar to the process for Priority Schools though involving only seven strategies that respond to the diagnosis findings.

Warning Schools

Warning Schools will implement a plan for improvement, but on a limited scale and without intensive RIDE oversight.

RIDE expects all other schools to focus to strive for continued improvement of student achievement.

Previously Identified Persistently Low Achieving Schools

In 2010 and 2011, in accordance with federal Title I Regulations, the Rhode Island Department of Education Identified schools as “Persistently Low Performing” (PLA) if they were among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in the state or were a high school that had a graduation rate of less than 60% over a three year period.

PLA schools were required to submit school reform plans and were eligible to compete for Federal School Improvement Grant Funds (SIG 1003(g) under Federal Regulation).

William B. Cooley, Sr. High School and the Providence Academy of International Studies High School @ the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex (Providence)

William E. Tolman Senior High School (Pawtucket)

Esek Hopkins Middle School (Providence)

Frank D. Spaziano Elementary School (Providence)

George J. West Elementary School (Providence)

Harry Kizirian Elementary School (Providence)

Nathan Bishop Middle School (Providence)

NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy (Cranston/Charter)

Providence Career and Technical Academy (Providence)

Segue Institute for Learning (Charter)

Veterans Memorial Elementary School (Central Falls)

These resources will supports schools and districts at each phase of the transformation process. For questions or to request in-person technical assistance, please contact Sarah Anderson in the Office of Transformation.